Dr Massimo Tommasino (27 August 1958–18 December 2022)

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is deeply saddened by the passing of Dr Massimo Tommasino at the age of 64.

Dr Tommasino was a beloved member of the IARC community for 19 years, making indelible scientific contributions in his position as Head of the Infections and Cancer Biology Group (2002–2020) and then as Head of the Early Detection, Prevention, and Infections Branch (2020–2021) until his retirement at the end of 2021.

Born in Taranto, Italy, Dr Tommasino graduated in pharmacy from the University of Bari. He was a researcher, then group leader and department head in renowned research institutes in the USA and Europe. In Germany, he worked at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, a centre directed by Professor Harald Zur Hausen, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2008 for his research on cervical cancer and the role of human papillomaviruses in its development. Dr Tommasino had been Scientific Director of the Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico – Istituto Tumori ‘Giovanni Paolo II’ (IRCCS) de Bari since 1 April 2022, following his retirement from IARC.

Dr Tommasino contributed enormously to knowledge of the role of human papillomaviruses in carcinogenesis. His research used both in vitro and in vivo experimental models and focused on the characterization of the transforming properties of well-established and novel oncogenic viruses, and the evaluation of cooperation between viruses and other environmental risk factors, such as ultraviolet radiation, in cancer development and progression. In addition, Dr Tommasino promoted strong collaboration with epidemiologists at IARC and worldwide, offering powerful diagnostic laboratory assays for the detection of a large number of infectious agents in human biospecimens. Together, these studies led to major advances in understanding the biology of cancers associated with infectious agents and in improving the epidemiological evidence base with respect to the prevention of infection-attributable malignancies. He authored 497 publications.

Dr Tommasino was an enthusiastic and dedicated scientist, colleague, and friend, with a deep love for science and for life. His contributions to the research community, both at IARC and beyond, will be sorely missed.

Dr Tommasino is survived by his wife, Maddalena, and children, Carlo and Benedetta.

IARC conveys its deepest and heartfelt condolences to Dr Tommasino’s family and friends.

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